Weekend Power Rankings: Pre Classic, NCAA Regionals and more

Every Monday, we’ll be putting together a round-up of the weekend winners and those who need improvement. It’s a simple five up and five down style. Without further ado, let’s get to the weekend warriors from May 27 and May 28.

Needs Improvement

5. Asbel Kiprop

One of the greatest milers of all time did not seem to be one of the greatest milers of all time during the Bowerman Mile. Kiprop, whose body seems built solely to mile, finished DFL at the highly touted fast section of the mile at the Prefontaine Classic, losing to a ton of guys he shouldn’t have lost to. Sure, the podium finishers all ran under 3:50, but still, you’d hope an athlete of Kiprop’s caliber would be able to fake his way to beating somebody.

4. Viruses

Olympic champion Matthew Centrowitz was a DNS in the aforementioned Bowerman Mile. His reason for skipping out on the four lap fiasco? “A virus.” No word has surfaced as to whether or not it was a physical virus or a computer virus, but regardless, we urge our followers to both wash their hands, and avoid opening mysterious email attachments.

3. Kiwis

Nick Willis was another DNS at Pre. This is after a less than stellar finish at the Medtronic TC 1 Mile. Willis is too good historically to write off. But as track fans, we are small, meek, and impatient, and want our best athletes to deliver every time because we are children.

2. A suggestion for the Pre meet organizers

There wasn’t a single, non-pace-setting American woman in the outstanding 800-meter field at Pre. Charlene Lipsey ran sub-two out of the second heat. Let the girls run.

1. Oregon women’s sprints

Oregon standout Hannah Cunliffe was a DNS in the 100, 200, and 4×100 relay at the West Regional meet. Which sucks because she’s very good and missed out on nationals last outdoor season too. Plus the Lady Ducks’ 4×100 relay got DQ’d following an exchange zone violation. Quack. Quack. Quack.

Weekend Champions

5. The Ingebrigtsens

All three Norse Ingebrigtsens ran sub-4 in the same meet including the youngest to ever do it. At 16, what were you doing besides driving poorly with a parent in the car and pining fruitlessly after an unrequited crush?

4. Tori Bowie wins the stacked Pre 200 in 21.77

Bowie took down one of the best 200-meter fields ever assembled, including multiple Olympic gold medalists, while running a personal best, a world leading time, and a new Prefontaine Classic meet record.

3. Celliphine Chepteek

The 18-year-old Kenyan not only ran sub-nine for the steeplechase, but she came to a complete stop late in the race after losing her shoe in a water pit to put it back on. She showed absolutely zero sense of urgency, but came back to take down a great field. Her 8:58.78 is the second-fastest time ever.

2. Fred Kerley: 43.70

The Texas A&M senior ran 43.70 at the NCAA West Regional meet, firmly securing his spot at the national meet, and running a time that would have won the Prefontaine Classic by over a second. We get that the collegiate system encourages earlier peaking, but we also don’t want to down play just how much of a talent Kerley is.

1, Thiam scores 7013 at Gotzis

You may know know what Gotzis is and you’re missing out. It’s a prestigious Hypomeeting in Austria and a multi-events fanatic’s dream meet. Olympic champion Nafissatou Thiam led what may be the greatest heptathlon ever. The 22-year-old from Belgium posted the highest heptathlon score since 2007. Anytime you see a number surpassing 7,000 in track, you gotta stop and say, “What the heck is going on here? This is awesome.”

The performance garnered some high praise from the GOAT himself.

There is a good chance, and there always has been, that the best athlete in the world is a woman. #Hypomeeting

Paul Snyder

Meme-disparager, avid jogger, MS Paint artist, friend of Scott Olberding, Citius Mag staff writer based in Flagstaff. Supplying baseless opinions, lukewarm takes, and vaguely running-related content. Once witnessed televison's Michael Rapaport cut a line of 30 people to get a slice of pizza at John's on Bleeker at 4am. You can follow Paul on Twitter at @DanielDingus.